I received no compensation or product for this post. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment are proud to announce that THE GREAT ESCAPE will arrive on Blu-ray for the first time on May 7, 2013. Based on a true story, THE GREAT ESCAPE is “a motion picture that entertains, captivates, thrills and stirs” (Variety). In 1943, the Germans opened a maximum-security prison-of-war camp, designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. By doing so, they unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history - brilliantly portrayed by Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn - who worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. The Blu-ray comes fully loaded with over three hours of special features including commentary with Director John Sturges and crew, multiple making of featurettes, the original theatrical trailer and more.

This year, THE GREAT ESCAPE celebrates its golden anniversary. To honor the 50th anniversary of that film’s release, here's a compilation of top five World War II films. From Tora! Tora! Tora! To Patton, these are some of our favorite films honoring the Second World War.

Patton

Winner of seven 1970 ACADEMY AWARDS, including Best Picture and Best Actor for George C. Scott, Patton is a riveting portrayal of one of the twentieth century’s greatest military geniuses. As rebellious as he was brilliant, George Patton (Scott) was the only general truly feared by the Nazis, yet his own volatile personality was the one enemy he could never defeat.

Empire of the Sun

Empire of the Sun is a 1987 coming of age war film based on J. G. Ballard's semi-autobiographical novel of the same title. Steven Spielberg directed the film, which stars a young Christian Bale alongside John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson. The film tells the story of Jamie "Jim" Graham, a young boy who goes from living in a wealthy British family in Shanghai, to becoming a prisoner of war in Lunghua Civilian Assembly Center, a Japanese internment camp, during World War II.

Tora! Tora! Tora!

Tora! Tora! Tora! was the winner of the 1970 Academy Award for Best Special Effects, and was nominated for four more Oscars, including Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Sound. The film is a dramatization of the days leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the event which signaled America’s official entry into WWII.

The Thin Red Line

1998’s The Thin Red Line marked Terrence Malick’s return to filmmaking after a 20-year hiatus. The film is based on the novel of the same name by James Jones, and it tells a fictional story of the Battle of Mount Austen in World War II. It portrays soldiers of C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. The film was nominated for an outstanding seven Academy Awards.

Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film is highly lauded for its graphic and realistic portrayal of war, specifically the opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault on June 6, 1944. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and won five of them, including Best Director.

I received no product or compensation for this post. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

On week six of Dancing with the Stars, eight remaining couples hit the dance floor and paid tribute to singer, songwriter and legend Stevie Wonder. Here are some of the highest scoring hairstyles, with steps to re-create them at home.

Alexandra Raisman’s Elegant Updo: Start by separating hair and tease the top half securing the sides with a bobby pin. Sweep the bottom half into a low side bun and attach the Dancing with the Stars Hair Extensions in Glamarama ($20: hairextensions.com), which simply adds a finished look to any chignon.

Kelli Pickler’s Wild Curls: Attach heat-friendly extensions to add in overall volume. Try Dancing with the Stars Go! Go! Girl ($49: Hairextensions.com). Next, using a 2-inch curling iron, take random sections of the hair and curl alternating from front to back for a piece-y look. Run fingers through hair and separate curls to complete this look.

Lindsay Arnold’s Braid Headband: You don’t have to be a skilled stylist to achieve a modern braid accent. Try slipping on the Dancing with the Stars Bellissima Braid Band to get this look ($10: hairextensions.com).

Friday, April 26, 2013

Logan, my 14 year old, was born with a knack for running. Forrest Gump doesn't have anything on him. He's been in Track & Field for school for two years now and has won several medals. He's the first kid in the school's history to go to state for four events. He's also won several medals in 5K runs. In other words, he's a running superstar.

Adam doesn't have such a knack. He's not athletic and has a somewhat severe disability of hammertoe on both feet. That's why I was floored when he asked to join Track & Field this year. It's just not something I pictured him doing. But I'm not going to be one to stop him from it. In comparison to his brother (or even the rest of the team for that matter), Adam has been doing rather poorly. He's gotten a sprained knee, hasn't caught on to the proper breathing techniques, and his feet hurt from the hammertoes. In some cases, he's placed last. In spite of all this, he hasn't given up.

(getting a hug from his sister)

Just last night he came back from a track meet and this was our conversation:

Adam: Mom, I beat my personal best!

Me: That's great. What did you do?

Adam: I shaved 11 seconds off my time and now have a new personal best.

Me: That's awesome! Did you beat anyone in the race?

Adam: Nope, I got last! But I'm still proud of myself. I ran faster than I ever have before.

I guess you had to be there, but I was struck by how the fact he got last place didn't phase him. He didn't focus on that. What he focused on instead was the fact that he ran faster than he ever has before.

That moment made this mama's heart swell. He may have gotten last in the race but he got first for a positive attitude.

In exchange for this post, I received a gift code from Novica. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

NOVICA gives artists and artisans around the world a platform to express their artistic talents and creativity. NOVICA strives to provide you with unique, hard-to-find items from talented artisans from places such as Thailand, Peru, Bali, Mexico, and other countries. Whether it be home decor, jewelry, paintings, or apparel, NOVICA has beautifully crafted items that are hard to find anywhere else. An artisan story arrives with each piece so you have an idea of who crafted it.

Mother's Day is the second biggest holiday at Novica. Maybe it is the keepsake nature of the unique gifts for Mom, or maybe its that the artisans put so much thought and attention into everything.

I just ordered the Wood statuette, 'Family Love' and already know just the spot I'm going to set it in my living room. I love how the statuette symbolizes family and unity between mother, father, and child. Although I'm keeping this statuette for myself, it'd make a fabulous Mother's Day Gift.

If you are in search of the perfect gift for your mother or a special female in your life, Novica has Religious Gifts for Mom.........

This post contains embedded widgets. I received no compensation or products for this post. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

We think that most can agree... Moms are the best - and they do a lot for us! Now it’s time to return the favor and celebrate this Mother’s Day by giving mom the movie night she deserves! Celebrate Sunday, May 12th in the best way possible by spending quality time with your family and watch one of YOUR favorite classic films! Watching a classic flick together tells the story of a different time and place, and is the perfect opportunity to catch up and share stories with your family... tell them something that they never knew about Mom!

Check out the blog app which includes:

• Guess-the-Scene Game! - How well do you know the silver screen’s most famous love stories and sing-a-longs? Play the Guess-the-Scene game to test your knowledge on the world’s greatest films! The quicker you pick, the more points you score. Ready? Action!

• Words in Film! - Select your mood and let quotes and images from film express how you’re feeling!

• Movie Night Conversation Starters! - Watching a classic flick together is the perfect opportunity to catch up and share stories... this Mother’s Day make it a point to connect with your family and give them a chance to learn something about mom they never knew! Here are some conversation starters to get you started.

Win It!

One person will win one of the following Blu-ray titles (Prize will be chosen randomly from the titles below)

Thursday, April 25, 2013

I received products for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

This past week I've been at two events where I took Miss Dottie's Pound Cakes and shared them with others. One of the events was pleasant, a Thirty-One party at the campground. The other event was sorrowful, a luncheon after a funeral of a teenager who passed away. Through the happiness and cheer of one happening to the sadness and sharing of memories at another, Miss Dottie's Pound Cake was well received and garnered several compliments for its deliciousness and freshness.

If you're looking for a moist, delicious and fulfilling dessert or cake for a special event or even to consume with family on a regular night, I'd like to suggest Miss Dottie's Pound Cake. I was given the opportunity to try two of the flavors, original and chocolate chip. My preference between the two is chocolate chip because I like the chocolate flavoring mixed in with the cake, but both were equally gratifying to the sweet tooth. As an approximate guess I'd say each cake would amply feed 10-12 people, as that was the case for the cakes I ate and shared with others.

Each pound cake arrived very well packaged, with a bow and sticker as added accents. The package presentation made the cakes seem even more lovely. Each individual pound cake was sealed in a resealable freezer bag with a gold cardboard bottom piece. In addition, it was wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow. It made the cake display look elegant and also ensured freshness until it was ready to eat. The only downfall to the packaging was that the bow that tied the cellophane together was tied on so tight that I couldn't just untie it. I had to take scissors and cut the bow off before opening up the rest of the packaging. In turn, it made the bow unusable again.

Miss Dottie's Pound Cake bakes their pound cakes fresh daily and uses only the finest, all natural ingredients. The pound cakes are made with organic butter, organic fresh cream, organic eggs and the finest Madagascar vanilla. Each cake is hand measured and made from scratch. Both cakes that I had the pleasure of eating tasted just produced and homemade.

Miss Dottie's Pound Cake is also an outstanding company in that they are involved in an Operation Pound Cake mission where they ship cakes weekly to soldiers in Afghanistan. The company accept donations for ingredients and you can also order a cake online as a donation for Operation Pound Cake. It brought a smile to my face when I saw the photos on Facebook of soldiers enjoying the deliciousness of Miss Dottie's Pound Cake.

Congrats to the winners and thanks to all who entered. Be sure to check out my active giveaways, listed at the top left hand side of my blog. There's no limit to how many you can enter or how many you can win.

I received no product or compensation for this post. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

You don't have to be a celebrity to get flawless skin. Whether you're attending a Hollywood premier, or just heading out for a night on the town, Bioré Acne Clearing Scrub has you covered. This gentle micro-scrub developed to treat and prevent acne without irritating or over-drying, leaves skin smooth and luminous - the perfect canvas for red carpet-worthy make-up.

· "A clear complexion is the key to a flawless makeup look, but so many acne-fighting cleansers strip skin. I love Bioré Acne Clearing Scrub because it cleanses and polishes so gently, but really clarifies skin," says Jake Bailey, Emmy Rossum's make-up artist.

· Dawn Broussard, Emilia Clarke's make-up artist, agrees: "The Bioré Acne Clearing Scrub is the perfect first step for any make-up look. It gently cleans and polishes without over drying - exactly what you want in a cleanser."

Mother's Day is right around the corner and that means it's time to start thinking about what to get the special mom in your life. I don't know about you, but I don't know a single woman that doesn't love a nice piece of jewelry, especially one that is personalized just for her. Well, thanks to Little Miss Pepper Designs and Life With Two Boys, one lucky mom is going to win not one piece of jewelry, but a custom jewelry prize pack just in time for Mother's Day!

#spon: I'm required to disclose a relationship between our site and LGFB . This could include the LGFB providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Look Good, Feel Better (LGFB) helps women to regain their self-confidence and focus their energy not on being a cancer patient, but on becoming a cancer survivor. Look Good Feel Better workshops help people with cancer to deal with the devastating outward side effects of their treatment, by teaching beauty techniques to cancer patients to help manage the appearance-related side effects of their treatment. Their group programs are open to all women with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or other forms of treatment. In the United States alone, more than 800,000 women have participated in the program, which now offers 15,400 group workshops nationwide every year in more than 2,500 locations.

Thousands of volunteer beauty professionals support Look Good Feel Better. All are trained and certified by the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the Professional Beauty Association National Cosmetology Association at local, statewide, and national workshops. Other volunteer health care professionals and individuals also give their time to the program.

On Wednesday, April 24th there will be a #LGFBWeek Twitter Chat, featuring celebrity makeup artist Tim Quinn, celebrity hair stylist Oribe, and doctors from NYU and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Join in and ask questions about beauty, skincare, hair care, and share your own tips on how to look and feel healthy and confident!

LGFB Beauty mobile and web applications are now available for iPhone and iPad in the AppStore and accessible online or for other mobile operating systems at www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org. The new mobile and web applications have been designed specifically for cancer patients.

The LGFB Beauty app and web tool provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the Look Good Feel Better 12-step beauty program, covering a variety of topics from skin care to proper cosmetic applications to the use of turbans, hats and wigs. It also features expert advice in the form of instructional videos. There are also other features available for users of the app and web tool.

I received DVD for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Iron Man Armored Adventures Season 2, Volume 4 & The Complete Second Season arrives to DVD April 23.

“Iron Man: Armored Adventures” Season 2, Volume 4 follows Tony Stark as he battles against his toughest opponents yet in order to retain control of his father’s company, Stark International, and protect the designs of his Iron Man armor! The Season 2, Volume 4 DVD includes the most intense action yet as Iron Man finally saves his father from his long imprisonment by the nefarious Doctor Doom. Life, however, is not back to normal just yet as our hero still has to find a way to wrest control of his father’s company from the villainous Justin Hammer. Later when the Mandarin gains all ten rings of power circumstances demand the emergence of a new hero, and with Ton Stark’s help Pepper Potts becomes the hero Rescue! But when the Makluans attack, Iron Man is forced to call on all his allies; Nick Fury, Hawkeye, Black Panther, The Hulk and Black Widow to help fend off the alien invasion and save the human race from destruction. Nothing has prepared Tony and his friends for the struggle that is about to take place.

My Review:

My boys are 13 and 14 years old so they're not real keen on cartoons anymore. That is, unless the cartoon features kick-butt superheros, villains, and action! This DVD collection features six episodes of the series. You don't have to watch the first episodes to get in on the plots and storylines but I think a die-hard of this series would want the first episodes as well. Iron Man: Armored Adventures - Season 2, Vol 4 is packed with adventure and superheros. There is mild violence contained within the episodes, but it's not overly gory or scary. Plenty of heroes and villains take part in battles between good and evil.

In exchange for this post, I will receive product. This info was provided by Crayola. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

To celebrate their 110th birthday, the 8 original crayons are throwing a birthday bash at the new fun-omenal Crayola Experience, the world's only interactive Crayola family attraction. Right now, they're out on a colorful adventure to spread the news, and you're invited to join the fun!

How can you join in on the fun? You can FOLLOW the crayons on their adventure, LEARN more about each color and enter to WIN a trip for 4 to celebrate their birthday and the Grand Opening of the all new Crayola Experience this coming May, 2013!

Visit the Crayola Facebook page and click "enter now" for your chance to be first in line when the Crayola Experience reopens.

The new Crayola Experience features four floors of new interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and your child's creativity to life! The winner will be among the first to experience the fun, along with a three- night, all-expenses paid stay. It's an experience your kids will never forget - and neither will you!

I received no compensation or product for this post. I am hosting this giveaway and info on behalf of NBCUniversal's Share and Tell. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ. This post contains embedded widgets.

Did you know that for every pound of new goods produced, 71 pounds of waste are generated during manufacturing? This Earth Week, NBCUniversal is partnering with the sharing site yerdle to help you minimize your impact on the planet by sharing your stuff. One person’s stuff is another person’s story!

Here’s how it works.

1) Join or host a Share & Tell Party (click the “Join the Party” button in the app below).

2) Post your stuff to share with friends. Discover other items that are up for grabs.

3) Tell the story of your sharing experiences on your favorite social media site. #ShareandTell.

Why you will love the NBC Share and Tell App:

• How Are You Green? (Eco Quiz) It’s not easy being green…(or is it?) We all want to take better care of our environment and go green, but the question is... How are YOU Green? Take the Eco quiz to find out!

• 7 Easy Ways to Start Sharing Now Now, more than ever, sharing makes sense. Getting started sharing is simpler than you think! Read these 7 easy ways to start sharing now and create healthier, happier families and communities.

• Real Life Share and Tell Stories Read real life stories of how sharing on yerdle has helped people just like you get the stuff they need - without buying a thing!
• Get Social Tweet with the #ShareandTell hashtag to get your audience excited about NBC’s Share and Tell!

What is yerdle?

Yerdle is the new mission-driven California Benefit corporation that’s out to help people share with their friends rather than buying things new. On yerdle, friends post items they're willing to give away or loan, search for items they're looking to get, and nab the things they want. Simple.

Why Host a Share and Tell?

Protect the planet, save money, give gifts to your friends and find things you want. Hosting a Share and Tell means inviting your Facebook friends to share things you want. Parties can either be hosted in-person or online, it’s up to you!

Monday, April 22, 2013

In exchange for this post, I am entered to win a prize. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Goodgames lets users earn donations for their selected nonprofit or school when they play online games. Users go come to www.goodgames.org, choose from a list of 109,000 nonprofits and schools (or add their own), and earn donations for their favorite cause when they play top quality online games. In other words, you can having fun playing online games, but ALSO earn donations for a cause at the same time.

Goodgames features a range of great online games, including Mahjongg Dimensions, Klondike Solitaire, Trizzle and more, and playing any of them will help earn donations. I just signed up for Goodgames and am now helping my local United Way by earning donations while playing challenging games. Goodsearch, Goodgames’ parent company, has already donated nearly $10 million to causes nationwide through their supporters’ simple daily actions such as web search, shopping online, dining out and taking surveys.

With over 113 million Americans playing 50 million hours of casual online games a day, Goodgames could raise over $ 1 billion a year for causes!

I received book for review. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

Book Synopsis:

From sea urchins in the Atlantic Ocean to bandicoots on the Australian savanna, animals all over the world recycle. Explore how different animals in different habitats use recycled material to build homes, protect themselves and get food. This fascinating collection of animal facts will teach readers about the importance of recycling and inspire them to take part in protecting and conserving the environment by recycling in their own way.

My Review:

If there's one eco-friendly effort I'm passionate about, it's recycling. Nature Recycles - How About You? teaches children the importance of recycling and how different animals use their environment and discarded objects to repurpose them. There are a few words in the book that children may be unfamiliar with but it's a good resource for showing how animals recycle and how children can do the same. In the "For Creative Minds" section in the back of the book learning is further enhanced by explaining why animals recycle, finding animals on a map, and a True or False on reducing, reusing and recycling.

I received no product or compensation for this post. Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services. Your opinions and results may differ.

On week five of Dancing with the Stars, couples performed a portion of their dance alongside a professional dancing duo. Here are some of the highest scoring hairstyles, with steps to re-create them at home:

Sharna Burgess Spiral Curls: Start by curling hair all over using a two inch curling iron. Add in some highlights by clipping in the Dancing with the Stars Starlights Clip-In Extensions ($49: hairextensions.com).

Kelli Pickler’s Side Swept Bangs: To get non-committal bangs like Kelli’s, simply attach the Dancing with the Stars Bango Tango Bangs ($22: folica.com) to steal this look in seconds.

ME

The Short of It

In addition to writing for my blog, Heck Of A Bunch, I also work full-time as a 911 Dispatcher. I'm married with a blended family of six kids and a dog. In what spare time I have left, I'm a referee for the local roller derby team.

PR Welcome

If you'd like me to try out your product or sponsor a giveaway, please don't be shy. I'd be honored to team up and have some fun! E-mail me at partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com.I am interested in reviewing your products and/or hosting a giveaway. I require a sample product for all reviews. Sample products will not be returned and you will be responsible for all shipping costs.Please allow up to 2 weeks for your review to be completed. I will send you an e-mail when the products arrives and again with the link once the review is posted on my blog. Thanks!

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FTC Disclosure

I receive products for review from companies so I can try them and give my full, honest opinion. The opinions within the post are of my own and I am not influenced in any way.
It is the reader's responsibility to research all facts regarding a product.
At times I write a sponsored post and that fact is included in the post. As well, I include the fact that I have received a product for review.